Cubanocast

This decision was kind of tough, but it beat the second-best one (featured tomorrow) because of its more clever lyrics, mostly: In El Africano, an African black man is on the loose. He's rabid-angry and wants something. A girl asks her mother what that "something" might be.

It probably sounds racist to Americans' PC-tuned ears, but Caribbeans have a much more casual approach to race- people can still joke about it a little.

It also distinguishes itself in an often similar-sounding genre with two completely separate singing parts and a solid melody over a wonderful dance beat. Good saxophone and trumpet parts make this an all-around delight.

In my dancing days, I always welcomed the merengue songs because, to be honest, they're a lot easier to dance to than Salsa with all of its different, complicated moves- so much easier that at times some would confuse me with talented merenguistas. In merengue dancing, you mostly move from side to side. You turn sometimes, too.

Along with Johnny Ventura and Elvis Crespo, Wilfrido Vargas, from Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic, is the greatest of merengue singers and band leaders.